The Spaniard moved on to the Goodison club three weeks later to succeed David Moyes, and his priority this season is to attempt to secure a place in European football's elite competition.

Ahead of the visit of Swansea - a club he played for and later managed - in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday, he reckons fighting on two fronts will help rather than hinder his side's hopes of a top-four place.

"There is momentum, competition for places and it is better to rotate players when you are winning.

"If you are in the FA Cup, you need to find a way to get through; if you are in the league you need to find a way to carry on with your consistency. So I am excited about facing the final third of this season with the chance to win something.

"I would measure progress looking at what we can achieve from now until the end of the season rather than what we have done so far. I do feel that the squad is ready to finish the season very strongly and that is what excites me."

Martinez will pit his wits against Swansea interim boss Garry Monk, who was his captain during his time in charge at Liberty Stadium, at Goodison.

"When I took over, I decided to bring players from abroad and then you need to rely on that British core, which Garry was the centre of," Martinez added.

"He knew how important it was to bring all those different mentalities and cultures together to get a winning side. A big part of what happens in the dressing room is down to the captain, and he brought direction."